Schools

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.—National Heritage Academies is offering a new smart phone app to connect parents to their child’s school work.

The app provides instant access to student grades, school news and meal balance accounts. Parents can also contact their child’s teacher or search the school’s online carpooling database.

“We are proud to offer this technology to our parents,” said Ridge Park Charter Academy Principal Emory Wykoff. “The app allows them to find information located on the school website, but eliminates the need to have an Internet connection.”

COMSTOCK PARK, Mich.-- School staff will take on a team of officers this Saturday, Feb. 1 as the Robert Kozminski Memorial Basketball Games return to Kenowa Hills.

This is the seventh year for the friendly competition. The games begin at 6:30 p.m. with Kenowa Hills administrators and teachers playing local law enforcement members. The second game will pit the Grand Rapids Police Department against the Kent County Sheriff’s Department. Griff from the Grand Rapids Griffins will also stop by for the games.

Admission is free, but donations are encouraged. The proceeds will benefit Kent County Sheriff Detective Aron Bowser who is currently awaiting a lung transplant.

Grandville Public Schools is reinvesting in the school, adding secure entrances, innovating the inside, and changing the building’s façade and entry glass. The school’s utilities will also be upgraded. Debra Reese, the district’s assistant superintendent for business services, told the Walker Planning Commission earlier this month that the improvements are needed because the school has experienced more growth than it originally expected, and the building is aging.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.—West Catholic’s varsity basketball teams will be trading in their green for purple Friday as the school hosts its inaugural Purple Community basketball games.

The West Catholic boys' and girls' teams will take on Northview. The girls will tip off first at 6 p.m. The boys’ game begins at 7:30 p.m. Both West Catholic teams will be wearing commemorative purple jerseys for the game that will be auctioned off to benefit biomedical research at the Van Andel Institute. Students will also be selling purple t-shirts and hosting a glow stick ceremony to honor loved ones affected y cancer and neurodegenerative diseases.

West Catholic High School is located at 1801 Bristol Ave. NW in Grand Rapids.

UPDATE (Thursday, Jan. 16)-- Walker Community Development Director Frank Wash says Feyen Zylstra has been given the green light to begin obtaining building permits to transform the former Fairview Elementary.

Feyen Zylstra wants to transform the former Fairview Elementary into its corporate offices. The Grand Rapids firm plans to work with an architectural company to maintain the building’s historical design during the transformation. Feyen Zylstra also plans to add a warehouse on the southeast corner of the property, located at 2396 Hillside Dr. NW.

Wash says no community members showed up for Wednesday's public hearing about the proposed plan.

WALKER, Mich.— An electrical contractor will present its final site plans Wednesday night for a shuttered school in Walker.

Feyen Zylstra wants to transform the former Fairview Elementary into its corporate offices. The Grand Rapids firm plans to work with an architectural company to maintain the building’s historical design during the transformation. Feyen Zylstra also plans to add a warehouse on the southeast corner of the property, located at 2396 Hillside Dr. NW.

A public hearing over the proposed project will take place during the planning commission meeting, which begins at 7 p.m. inside the Walker City Commission Chambers, 4243 Remembrance Road NW.